I combined painkillers with adrenaline - Troost-Ekong reveals playing through injury during AFCON

Super Eagles vice-captain William Troost-Ekong has disclosed how he managed to play at the 2023 AFCON through injury.

The 30-year-old sustained an injury in Nigeria's second game against hosts Ivory Coast despite scoring the only goal of the game from the spot.

After missing the Super Eagles' last group game against Guinea-Bissau, the PAOK Salonica defender returned to play every game in the knockout stage.

Despite playing through injury, Troost-Ekong produced a remarkable performance in the Super Eagles' defence to guide the team to the final, scoring four goals in the tournament including an important goal in the final.

The former Watford man was named the Player of the Tournament for his remarkable performance in Ivory Coast.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with CNN Sports, the Nigerian defender revealed how he managed to feature at the tournament through injury.

“I had a torn bicep femoris, which is basically the outside part of the hamstring. It happened during the tournament and I think I had a small tear initially in the second group stage game against Cote d’Ivoire. I managed to play on and then after the final I had another MRI, and we realised it was really ruptured,” he recounted.

“It was very sore playing with it, and I couldn’t really train after the second group game. I was just trying ice to keep the swelling down.

“I might do half an hour of training the day before each game, and then during the game a combination of painkillers and adrenaline mean you can get through it. The day after each game it was definitely showing as I was struggling to walk.”

Troost-Ekong is expected to return in May.